England's clubs may be struggling in the Heineken Cup but they have made a mark at second-tier level. Bath snatched a second consecutive win in this competition when an injury-time conversion by their Australian fly-half, Chris Malone, clinched a dramatic victory over Connacht at the Recreation Ground on Saturday.

David Bory scored in the corner to level the scores at 19-19 in the 82nd minute, before Malone's fine conversion sealed victory after the home side had trailed for most of the match.

Saracens recorded a bonus point in an impressive 37-20 victory over Narbonne in France, helped by Glen Jackson's 22 points. The scrum-half Neil de Kock scored two first-half tries to set Saracens on their way at Parc des Sports et de l'Amitie, although it needed a late penalty try and a Jackson interception to end Narbonne's challenge.

De Kock crossed from close range and then added a second try from 40 metres out. Jackson scored in injury-time to wrap up the win and leave Saracens well placed to make the European Challenge Cup play-offs.

Brive may be struggling in the French championship but they inflicted a chastening 41-12 defeat on Newcastle at Stade Amedee Domenech. Brive scored three tries in the opening half, with Damien Chouly and Simon Azoulai taking advantage of some poor Falcons defending. The centre Ludovic Valbon had too much pace for the third.

The Newcastle captain Matt Burke scored a well-taken try before half-time, but a penalty try after an hour was their only score in the second half. Brive extended their lead with tries by Luciano Orquera, Yves Donguy and Norman Ligairi and a second to Chouly.

The Worcester coach, John Brain, feels the late bonus point earned in their 29-23 defeat at Clermont Auvergne could yet prove vital. Worcester were indebted to the Welsh backrower Gavin Quinnell, who came off the bench to score twice in the last three minutes.

Brain said: "Our replacements' bench added great value towards the end of the match. We fronted up quite well, and while I don't think we deserved to win the match, the bonus point could prove crucial in this pool."

At the Twickenham Stoop, Mike Brown scored three tries as Harlequins hammered a demoralised Montpellier 57-10. Quins were in control throughout and underlined their superiority with three tries in the last five minutes, with Brown getting two of them to complete his hat-trick.

Florin Vlaicu kicked 12 points, including three goals in the final quarter, as Bucuresti completed a memorable 32-27 victory over Bayonne, and Montauban routed Petrarca Rugby 53-5 in Italy. The wing Sylvain Jonnet and the hooker Tony Testa each scored twice as the French team ran in eight tries.